POLL: Second best boss
As requested.
We all know who the best one is (although I'm sure there'll be some awkward sod along to claim otherwise before long), but who is the runner up? Commencing from 1980, no caretakers.
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As requested.
We all know who the best one is (although I'm sure there'll be some awkward sod along to claim otherwise before long), but who is the runner up? Commencing from 1980, no caretakers.
Comments
Lawrie Sanchez - when we're all in our 80s and we've still not got anywhere near another FA cup semi final, he'll be the unanimous choice
sanchez second for me with gorman third i prefer the football played under gorman thought.
Sanchez Out
I'd go Gorman comfortably (with a passing mention for Alan Gane if we're going back to 1980). The football we played at the start of that long unbeaten run season was some of the best I can ever remember and I felt genuine pride in watching us away
Sanchez would indisputably be the second best out of the names listed in the poll if he hadn't made such a complete mess of his last two and bit years in charge, clinging on for dear life with increasingly irrational and ineffective methods when he should have resigned for the good of the club (if not got the sack from a board who, to some extent, were understandably trying to show some loyalty).
Ainsworth will be in with big shout given what he achieved on a shoestring, though again the entertainment value of the football has left a fair amount to be desired for long periods of his reign.
I'd go for Sanchez if only for the incredible transformation when he came in in 1999, that day in Lincoln and the cup run, and the first half of the 01/02 season when I had the fleeting thought that we might get promoted if we kept up that form. And erase my memory of the rapid disintegration of the club's fortunes from there onwards.
Maine Road, Sincil Bank, Selhurst Park, Filbert Street. It has to be Sanchez doesn't it? But I agree with @bookertease I loved watching us play under Gorman.
Comparisons are always difficult as circumstances change. Earlier managers had much higher relative budgets than Ainsworth.
For me for uncomplaingly navigating the club through the initial chaos post trust takeover, and for not only keeping the club up where many others would imho have failed but incredibly taking it to Wembley and overachieving again the following year, for arguably ensuring the very survival of the club, while Sanchez is a serious contender, I would give it to ainsworh.
I feel if Ainsworth had won at Wembley, he would be right up there. Real shame.
Finding it very hard to split Ainsworth and Sanchez - the first game I attended was just after Sanchez was appointed (we lost) and his ability to get results from what had clearly become a deeply demoralised side was extraordinary. He seemed at his best when backs were against the wall and his football was never particularly pretty but somehow he coaxed remarkable performances out of his team when they were up against it. When they were not under such pressure it didn't seem to work do well. But given his awful personal circumstances at the time I still think he did a remarkable job. And what experiences he gave us.
Maybe it's too soon to judge Ainsworth but I agree with @DevC 's comments (although he wasn't actually manager when the trust took over, that had to wait for Waddock to be removed). What's not clear to me is how much he relies on Dobbo who for my money is a key member of the set-up. But he's shown real adaptability and a determination to learn. And he's a team player in the widest sense of the word, which isn't something which I think you could say about Sanchez, as a manager at least.
So I'm sitting on the fence - equal second for the two of them, but there's still time for Ainsworth to move ahead (or behind).
The good bits of Sanchez are up there with O'Neill but the bad bits are down with Adams and Smith. It's a tough one.
Sanchez is a tricky one to place. A story of 2 halves. The second half (for me) taints the great, great moments from the first.
It has to be Sanchez. Memories I will never forget and a fairytale the like of which we may never see again.
I agree with bill_stickers though. If Ainsworth had kept us up on the last day one season and then got us promoted the next on a tiny budget, his achievements would be getting on for St. Martin proportions.
Just seen the votes cast so far. I suppose there's nothing in the rules saying that Mr. Adams can't vote for himself.
This poll made me look up Neil Smillie to see what he's done since he was sacked - but nothing comes up. Did his ill-advised stint finish his football career? Seems very sad if so. From what I recall he was a great youth coach and all-round nice bloke who should never have been given the manager job but was a cheap (and at the time popular) choice who quickly found himself totally out of his depth. Anyone know what he went on to or is doing now?
Beyond that - got to be Sanchez second, despite the meltdown in his final year, and no contest for worst. I hope to god Smith is never overtaken as worst manager, because it would mean Wycombe probably no longer existed.
Sanchez 2nd best for me too. As others have said, for pure enjoyment of football it's clearly Gorman, but for achievement it's Sanchez, although Ainsworth could potentially overtake him. It makes it all the more saddening that Sanchez's tenure fell apart in such spectacular style. With hindsight I wish he'd been poached by a bigger club in 2001 - as was widely expected at the time. Apparently a few players, such as Stuart Roberts, have come out and said Sanchez was quite an unpleasant man to work for and he certainly did have a pretty bad track record for falling out with people; be it his players, opposition managers, or indeed his own fans.
I (fortunately enough) missed out on the Sm%th era, although I've delved into our history enough to have a reasonable understanding of the crimes he committed. Still, a bit harsh for me to pick him when I never witnessed it first hand, so Adams for me, although I accept Sm%th must be the worst overall.
Gorman just over Sanchez for second for me - his teams played exciting 'we'll always score one more than you type of football' and I believe that had the circumstances not conspired against him, having got the had part right (scoring goals) he would also have gotten the defensive side right in due course. Despite Adams being a major league idiot, there really cannot be any contest for Smith as by far the worst manager I have ever seen. Agree with MDH, if he is ever overtaken as worst manager, WWFC will be nothing but a memory.
That's the weird thing about the Gormania period. When you look at some of the defenders at his disposal; Johnson, Williamson, Martin, Senda and Antwi (albeit briefly), it's a little surprising that our defence was so porous, regardless of the style of football we were playing. Yes, they were a young and inexperienced bunch, but most of them were far too good for L2, especially the first three (and Senda did go on to play in the Championship I believe, before injuries took their toll).
Were Martin and Senda that defensively minded though? I especially remember Senda enjoying getting forward.
Also, Williamson and Johnson, whilst good players for us, surprised most people by how much they progressed after leaving the club.
True on both counts I suppose, though I think Johnson and Williamson both still clearly stood out as being as class apart in L2, even if we didn't necessarily predict them to go on to play in the top flight. I must admit I can't remember if Senda and Martin were necessarily part of our defence that season, as both moved about quite a bit. Perhaps they played more in midfield that season?
Can we add Brian Lee to the list as he totally transformed the club when he took over & the only thing he did not win was the Amateur Cup
At the time of Johnson and Williamson, many were calling out for us to sign an experienced centre back. Seems incredible that both later went onto the Premier league.
Johnson himself had some quote in the Bucks Free Press about how he "Knew" he'd never play in the Premier league!
Probably didn't help that Adams had killed his confidence, through a strange mix of dropping him, playing him at left back, and the genius of saying he didn't even know if he even was a defender!
I'd say Williamson was by far the better of the two in his time here. He was imperious in that half season to his January sale, while i'd suggest Johnson while good for us, accelerated after leaving us.
Seems strange to me to rate Ainsworth over Sanchez on anything bar likeability/cult status at the moment.
He very nearly took us down after all, and now has a real battle to convince even the most super pro fan that he can play any sort of entertaining football, and that our one season in the sun wasn't mostly down to out superbly fortuitous link with Brentford.
Really hope he pulls us through this time of doubt.
I'm with @Blue47 on this one, tough call all round, Kelman comes pretty high as he sowed the seed for the MON era but having started watching the blues during Lee's tenure i'm afraid this poll is for 3rd choice manager but i do understand and except everybodies decisions.
@Kimble_Blue I've got to agree about Kelman - the trouble is going back that far we have to include Suddaby and great player that he was for us he'd only just be above Adams on the list
Martin, when he played was used mainly as a defensive midfielder. The 5-4 when he rattled in the equaliser was a high water mark from my season ticket holding days.
I'd also choose Sanchez as the best of the rest. With hindsight I think he was always going to be more successful in the long term with a less labour intensive job perhaps due to his parental commitments. The N.Ireland job was perfect in many ways as the leg work in identifying talent wasn't as crucial and allowed him to stretch his legs as a master motivator.
Horses for courses really; I can't see Ainsworth making it at a much higher level unless he develops a more varied and attacking approach. Grinding out lower league results is one thing, inspiring more talented and demanding players would be a much harder sell for him IMO.
@bookertease ...True
Jim Kelman for me. At moments we were brilliant under him. John Kerr, John Granville to name a couple of his signings.
Smillie's team was terrifyingly bad, especially when you remember how much better they became after the poor bloke was sacked.
Suddaby's Wycombe was a grim old place after the Alan Gane / Paul Bence era. Dreadful appointment with Chairman Lee clearly penny pinching.
Kelman's reign was tremendous tinged with a terrible ending. Gormania was a privilege to witness.
What was the terrible ending @arnos_grove? Before my time.
Yeah and mine unfortunately
I agree about Brian Lee. His time transformed the club as never before or since.